NBA 2020-21: 5 goals that Ja Morant can achieve next season
The Memphis Grizzlies struck gold with Ja Morant when they selected him as the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NBA draft.
Although Zion Williamson and his teammate RJ Barrett got all the hype last season, Memphis took a chance on a tall, lanky kid out of Murray State, and it paid off. He turned out to be one of the best players in last year's draft, and one of the best draft picks in Memphis Grizzlies history.
Ja Morant was awarded the Rookie of the Year last season, winning 99 out of the 100 first-place votes. He averaged 17.8 points, 7.3 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game in his rookie season, and almost lead his team to the playoffs, holding on to the 8th seed for most of the pre-bubble season.
Five goals that Ja Morant can achieve next season
Although the Memphis Grizzlies were not able to make the playoffs last season, they did find their franchise player in Ja Morant.
Morant has shown superstar potential and could one day be one of the top 5 players of the league. Having said that, there are some aspects of the game that Morant should focus on this coming season, to reach the level of superstardom that is expected of him.
5) Improve Defence
Last season, Ja Morant was a capable defender under head coach Taylor Jenkins. He helped the Memphis Grizzlies rank 15th in defensive rating, while individually ranking 24th in defensive win shares among point guards.
As a guard, he needs to focus on 2 parts of his defensive game: perimeter defense and navigating through screens.
As a perimeter defender, Ja was able to hold his ground, but his weaknesses were exposed when guarding all-star guards like Damian Lillard and James Harden.
He needs to work on keeping his eyes on the ball, and not letting players make easy runs to the basket. He also needs to watch out for fakes and step-backs around the 3 point line to improve his perimeter defense.
When it comes to screen navigation, Ja Morant’s thin frame has been a big disadvantage for him. He is easily picked off in pick and rolls. Even though he is athletic enough to contest shots, that kind of stress on his body may lead to injuries. He needs to put on some extra muscle and work on the way he attacks screens during the season.
4) Improve his decision making
Ja Morant averaged 3.3 turnovers per game last season, which isn’t terrible considering Morant averaged 7.3 assists per game. Only 3 players — Damian Lillard, Ricky Rubio, and Devonte Graham — averaged more assists and fewer turnovers.
One major way for Ja Morant to reduce turnovers is to limit being pickpocketed. He will get better at this with time, as many NBA rookie guards do, especially when they come up against veterans like Chris Paul or Mike Conley.
Ja Morant is young, and no doubt will become better at keeping the ball. The other skill that’s required to become a great point guard in the NBA is shooting, and Morant needs to work on that too.
3) Become a better shooter
Ja Morant doesn't take inefficient shots — he doesn’t take many long twos, and is good at getting to the rim. The kind of shooting Morant needs to work on is his pull-up 3-point shot.
The most impactful improvement that Ja Morant can make this season is to improve his shot-creating ability, and be more comfortable wheb taking a shot off the dribble. Morant attempted 1.7 pull-ups per game in the regular season, only making 31.3 percent. When Morant pounds the ball, he shoots 31.4 percent — before taking a three Morant uses three or more dribbles, taking 1.1 a game as per NBA.com.
With the gritty and hardworking mentality of Ja Morant, we can expect a much improved 3-point shot from him coming into the season. Combine a consistent 3 point shot with his crazy athleticism, and he could be lock up one of the All-Star spots next season.
2) Become an All-Star
Ja Morant had a fantastic rookie season last year, and at one point was considered for the All-Star game. As a rookie, however, it's nearly impossible to get the All-Star nod.
As a rookie, to garner that much respect and attention from your peers and the media, is a major accomplishment in itself. Being so close to getting the coveted all-star mark but not getting it will only fuel his desire to get better this season.
Although it won't be easy, with Steph Curry returning and Devin Booker potentially ascending to superstardom when combined with Chris Paul, there is still a slim chance for Ja Morant to be selected for the all-star game this season.
Regardless of Ja Morant being selected in the All-Star squad, we can expect the young star to go all-in during the regular season and make his presence felt throughout the league.
1) Make the playoffs
The Memphis Grizzlies were only 2 wins away from making the playoffs last season.
The Grizzlies were not expected to be in playoff contention last year. However, owing to the will and leadership of Ja Morant, they exceeded all expectations and made a respectable run at the playoffs. If Ja Morant wants to be an All-Star next season, he must secure a playoff spot for his team, and establish himself as the face of the franchise.
By making the playoffs, Ja Morant would claim his position as one of the elite guards in the league, and might attract other stars to come to play with him, which would make Memphis a contender in the stacked West.
Ja Morant is an exceptional player and is a treat to watch on the court. He is one of these truly rare talents that take the NBA by storm. He has the potential to be a top 5 player in the league one day and lead the Memphis Grizzlies to their first NBA championship in franchise history.
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